Zoro's 100 Theme Challenge
by Santoryuu3
Summary: 100 Theme Challenge for everyone's favorite swordsman! Some AU, some pairings. T to be safe. Taking requests. UPDATE: Chapter 6 - Flowers. "Everything around him vanished as an image of Kuina suddenly appeared next to his reflection in the blade. At that moment, his heart urged him to return home to his village, to see his old sensei, and light incense for his daughter."
1. Theme 50: Breaking the Rules

**Introducing, a 100 Theme Challenge featuring everyone's favorite swordsman! Some may be AU, others not. Some will be ZoRo (I rephrase… most will be ZoRo) and some ZoNa or whatever. However, no BL. I will take requests for certain subjects, so you can PM me those or put it in your review. Much appreciated.**

Theme: 50 – Breaking the Rules  
Summary: Zoro forces himself to go to Sanji for advice. Post-Alabasta, pre-Water 7

This was hell.

Zoro had set a number of rules on himself. Some rules could be bent and interpreted in many different ways, but the Top 5 rules were never to be broken. There were just those lines you never crossed, unspoken boundaries, the limit of your willingness to stepping outside your comfort zone.

Five. Never steal Luffy's meat.

Four. Polish katana at least once a day.

Three. Exercise at least twice a day.

Two. Never borrow money from Nami.

And one. The most important: NEVER go to Sanji for advice.

Zoro would never give that dumbass the pleasure of humiliating him, taunting him of being too stupid of figuring out these things for himself. Sanji would never let him live it down, a constant blackmail. Zoro shuddered just thinking about it.

But there was one thing only the cook knew how to do. It certainly wasn't cooking; Zoro didn't give two shits about that. It wasn't eyebrow-curling; Zoro liked his eyebrows, thank you very much. And it was most certainly _not_ about the best sex positions, which is what Sanji had been ranting about for a few days.

"Hey," said Zoro nonchalantly, throwing open the door to the kitchen, where Sanji was standing at the sink. "Need any help?"

Sanji stared over his shoulder at the swordsman, a little surprised, but looked down at his red hands where he had been scrubbing a particularly dirty iron skillet for the past forty five minutes with no progress. "Yeah. I suppose. Think you can get this shit off?"

"Tch. Could do it with my eyes closed."

Sanji stepped back and let the burly swordsman take his place, folding his arms and puffing on his cigarette, observing Zoro with a careful eye. After a moment, he asked, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to help? Shouldn't you be training or sleeping or doing whatever the hell you do?"

Zoro winced. He set the skillet into the sink and turned off the water. Godammit. The red was already creeping up the back of his neck; he could feel it. His hands shook, and he held the counter with a vice grip. "Yeah, I should. Here I am talking to you."

"Do you need something?" Sanji asked lazily. "Cause if you're not going to clean that, then get the hell out of my kitchen."

"Ineedadvice."

Zoro let the words out in one huge breath, speaking so quickly and quietly, Sanji couldn't hear. The cook leaned forward. "What?"

Zoro breathed meditated for a minute, inhaling and exhaling to calm himself down. "I need advice," he said again.

Sanji snorted out a laugh. "What for? How to bake a cake? It's not anyone's birthday for a while yet."

"Why the hell would I want to bake a cake? No, it's something much more… personal."

Sanji blinked. This was so unlike the swordsman, going to anyone (much less _him_) for something as petty as advice. Still, he was intrigued, and nodded his agreement. "What'd'ya need?"

Zoro accidentally broke the counter, he was holding it so hard. Waving away Sanji's yells of payment, he turned and glared at the other man. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Don't laugh." Sanji held up his right hand and swore he wouldn't breathe a word. "How do you get the girls to like you?"

Sanji almost stopped breathing. His lungs suddenly malfunctioned, and he began coughing loudly, doubled over as he thumped his chest. Zoro only stared at him confusedly, though the red was still curling his cheeks. The cook's coughing fit only lasting for a few minutes before the hacking suddenly changed into laughing. The blonde roared with laughter, bending backward from the force of the sound escaping his lips. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.

"Goddammit, Sanji, get a hold of yourself," Zoro growled, a tic mark appearing on his temple.

"Sorry, sorry," Sanji gasped, his chest heaving. "I just never thought I'd hear that from your mouth!"

"Shut up, someone will hear!" Zoro whispered angrily, glancing at the door.

Sanji sputtered out a few half-cough-half-hiccup giggles before finally resuming his calm composure. "You want to know how I impress the blessing to men known as women."

Zoro sat down at the table, gripping his hair. "I know somebody who wants to know."

Sanji took a seat across from the swordsman, lighting a fresh cigarette. "Does your friend have a certain one in mind?"

A nod. "Yeah."

"What does she like?"

"Books. Lots of books."

Sanji held back another laugh as he immediately knew who. "Well, if she likes books, then you buy her a book."

Zoro winced. Rule number two: NEVER borrow money from Nami. Which would have to be the case if he had to go through with that; he was flat broke. And it wasn't like he could go collect a bounty; he couldn't turn the guy in, not with a bounty on his own head. "Anything else?"

"Well, if she's an older woman, a good drink would nice, especially while she reads. And douse her with beautiful sonnets, but not too much. And your choice of wording is very important, too. Rhymes is key."

"I'm not – I mean, my friend isn't going to rhyme," Zoro interrupted.

Sanji took a drag. "Well, my best suggestion would to just be how you normally are. But if this girl likes your friend back, then keep an eye out for tell tales signs. You know… like glances or questions for help, or requests to train with him."

Zoro narrowed his eyes. "Why the hell do you think _I'm_ interested in this bullshit?"

Sanji shrugged, unsuccessfully hiding his smirk behind a hand. "I never said you were interested."

There was a knock at the door, and it opened to reveal the bright blue eyes of the archaeologist, Nico Robin. "Hello, Cook-san, Kenshi-san," she said, smiling that mysterious smile. Zoro didn't look at her, only nodding his recognition. Sanji, on the other hand…

"Robin-chwan~!" The cook noodled to her side. "Is there anything I can do for my lovely goddess~!"

"No, thank you," she said, then laid a hand on Zoro's shoulder. "Kenshi-san, could you do me a favor?"

"Depends." Zoro grunted.

"I need you to spread lotion on my back," she said, and Zoro looked up to retort with a flat out no when his vision was suddenly met with the massive bosom of the dark-haired woman, held back with a lavender bikini top.

Zoro seemed to forget he was in a chair and stumbled back, tripping over the chair legs and toppling onto his back with a crash. Robin giggled. "Fufufu. I'll be outside." She exited the room.

_Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit._

Sanji had stopped noodling and was glaring down at Zoro like _Why does Robin-chan want _you_ to massage her back!?_

Zoro grumbled, untangling himself from the floor and storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Sanji stared at his retreating back, the anger draining from his body. And Zoro thought he was the only intelligent one around here.

Sanji sighed and rolled up his sleeves, returning to the sink. "Damn. Now I have to finish the skillet."


	2. Theme 57: Sacrifice

**This one-shot is the first chapter of another story, "The Stuff of Legends." It's a good enough ZoLu nakamaship one-shot, so I'll put it in here. Please, enjoy.**

Theme: 57 - Sacrifice  
Summary: Zoro sacrificies himself for Luffy at Thriller Bark

Sometimes, I forgot why I joined his crew. I wondered why I put up with his stupidity and incompetence. He disturbed me every day, poking at my side and egging me on to play a childish game of tag. I would crack open one eye and tell him straight up no, and he would slouch away, muttering about my being a party pooper. I would close my eye and fall asleep again, only to be awoken by being stepped on by a stupid cook.

I hated the simple way he took things, the way he called everything a mystery. And his stupid rubber powers got in the way too, especially during meals. When dealing with a bottomless pit, you learn to guard your food with every amount of strength you had.

I was the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates. Not by choice, of course. He practically forced me to join, and at first I was confident. This scrawny kid I could easily defeat in a fight any time I wanted. And one wrong step to lead me off from my dream, and his guts would be across my boots.

The Greatest Swordsman in the world. My dream. Not many pirates still carried that, a dream. Most sail on for the hell of it, going wherever the wind takes them and not giving a damn where they end up. They have nothing driving them on, no goal for them to accomplish. At times in my early life, I thought I was the only one with the ambition.

And then I met him. His confident smile spoke to me. To be the King of the Pirates, is what he said. And for some reason, I believed him. I may not even know his name, but the way he talked, that cheeky grin on his face and an enthusiastic thumbs up. I liked him. He had spunk, but I wouldn't go with him, I had my own goals, my own dreams to fulfill. And yet, I still went with him.

And now, if I could I would travel back in time and slap myself. Don't do it. Don't join up with this guy. Hell awaits you, and a stupid cook who won't shut the hell up about women. Save yourself and cherish your sanity while you still can.

But a me from the future would stop me, holding me back. He would tell me about the things I never would have accomplished had I not met him. For one, I would be dead, executed by that bastard marine. I never would have met Mihawk, and realized I still wasn't good enough.

I had gotten cocky. I already believed myself to be the best, and I thought the more swords, the more powerful one could be. That fight taught me I still had a hell of a lot to learn, that was for sure. And I had that scar to remind me. It pulsed every now and then, and I would immediately train, like it would egg me on, to not let myself get weak.

No, had I not met that rubber idiot, challenging an assassin from the North Blue would have been impossible. The accomplishment of slicing steel would have been out of my reach for many a year, possibly until I was even thirty years old, or more. That battle was a pain in the ass, but I was drawn to the breath of all things, feeling the presence of the life around me.

Had I not met him, battling a god in the sky would have been a distant dream. Had I not met him, defeating a giant giraffe-man would not have made the To Do list. Had I not met him, I would be as weak as ever, and possibly never be as strong as I am now.

Without knowing, I got stronger and stronger with every island we passed. It was subtle, but with every enemy defeated, my experience grew, and my katana thrived within my hands. Never would I have gained this much power only as a simple bounty hunter.

Tch. Had I not met him, I wouldn't be about to do this right now.

The giant ball of pain floated only a foot away, shimmering red with the rising sun. My breath came in deep gasps, and I could feel the blood staining my clothing, running down my arms and trickling down my back. My body was weak, unable to handle the constant fight after fight, and then surviving the giant bomb that blasted the entire ship Thriller Bark to kingdom come. And not only that, battling the bear man one on one was taking its toll. I was definitely at my physical limit.

That one sample he had given me. It was like fire in my veins. All my organs ripped themselves apart and were sewn together again, the skin peeled from my bones and nails driven into my skull. My eyes turned to goo inside my head, and ears pounded with blood. A scream ripped itself from my throat, a sound I had no idea I could make.

It was over in an instant, and I fell to the ground, desperately heaving air into my lungs. It was a glorious feeling, sweet oxygen filling my body. Despite this, I could barely move, and I was being pricked all over with a thousand needles. Being electrocuted by that witch's staff was a mosquito bite compared to this, and that for sure was saying something.

But now I stood alone. I had to do this. It was for him. All for him.

I had come to realize along our journey that our dreams all began to intersect with one another. I couldn't accomplish my dream if he didn't accomplish his. No one could. If he died, all our respective dreams would be crushed, annihilated, completely razed into oblivion. So now here I was thinking about everyone else. Even the shitty cook.

If I sacrificed myself, allowing the captain to live on, everyone else could see their dreams come true. One by one.

That coward would become the man he always wanted.

That witch would draw her stupid map.

That shitty dartboard would find his All Blue.

That bipolar reindeer would find his cure for all diseases.

That woman would find her Rio Poneglyph.

That perverted robot would sail to the ends of the earth on his ship.

That obnoxious skeleton would be reunited with his pet whale.

That stupid rubber man would become the King.

And me?

I lunged for the giant paw of pain, throwing my arms inside. Immediately, the pain raced through my body, turning it to what felt like molten lava. The sample had been multiplied four hundred thousand times, possibly even more. I was surprised I could even focus on anything right now as my body thrashed around, clawing at myself as if that would ease the pain.

As for me, well, I wouldn't become the greatest swordsman in the world. I was going to die, right here. And it was right at that moment when I realized why I joined him.

I joined him because I smelled adventure. He gave me opportunities to do what no man has done before, go where no man has gone, and see what no man has seen. He showed me what it means to have true nakama, to truly care about someone, and to love them so much you would risk your life for theirs.

Ha. Maybe I had learned something from a rubber brained moron. But as my world grew black, and my thoughts hazy, the one thing that remained in my head was a simple phrase, one I had declared defiantly only a while ago. I smiled through the pain that still wracked my body, closing my eyes and shouting out for the entire world to hear.

"_LUFFY IS THE MAN WHO WILL BE THE PIRATE KING!"_


	3. Theme 46: Family

**Proof that I'm not dead = this prompt. Having trouble with other things. Gomen nasai.**

**Still taking suggestions for prompts, but in the meantime, please enjoy. Warning: Perverted Zoro.**

Theme 46: Family

Summary: Zoro considers taking a big step

I never knew my parents. I grew up in an orphanage, surrounded by other boys my age, but they all avoided me like I was a demon. They whispered behind my back. Not that I cared; no friends are better than fake ones who double cross you. Never show your back to the enemy; even as I child I knew my strengths. Still, I knew they hated my abnormal hair color, but I actually kind of liked it, and I often wondered from which of my parents it had been inherited.

My mother died in childbirth, and was buried in a local cemetery. I could never bring myself to visit her grave; I didn't even know her name. My father disappeared. As soon as she died, he hightailed it out of there. I don't know why or where he is now. And I don't care; he's not a man to stand up and take responsibility of raising a child.

The people who ran the orphanage were mostly nice to me, the ones I could remember. I hated all of them, except Julia. She was always nice to me, and even revealed she knew my father. He was a swordsman for the marines apparently, at a rank of Vice- Admiral. My mother was a seamstress, and then met as she tailored a ripped jacket. I'll sometimes just lay in my bunk on the ship and stare at the ceiling and think, _what were they like? What would they say about my being a pirate?_

It's all mushy and gushy, stuff I hate. I couldn't stand the fluffy-ness of my family tree, and quite honestly, I hated my parents.

My mom had to give her life for me, and in doing so left me alone with a cowardly father, who couldn't even shoulder the responsibility of being a single parent. Instead I'm sent to a goddamn orphanage, and forced to run away and travel the island, defeating various dojos. Not an ideal life, much different than the one I would've had, but still, I enjoyed it.

So now, here I am. It was difficult to believe Mihawk's defeat had only been a few weeks prior, and I had finally obtained the title of World's Greatest Swordsman. There were still a couple of islands left until Raftel, but it still was an encouraging feeling. I was sitting on my usual spot polishing my blades when a sudden thought occurred to me. Completely random, out of the blue, spontaneous.

_I wonder which of my kids will inherit my blades._

The thought made my blood turn cold, and I suddenly lost motor control over my limbs. _Wado Ichimonji_ clattered to the deck as my fingers turned numb.

"Are you alright, Zoro?" Robin's voice called from across the ship.

"Yeah. I'm okay," I muttered back, and she returned to her book.

Decendants. The thought had never occurred to me before now. Who would pass on my legacy? Who would inherit my prized katana? I certainly wasn't going to let just anyone have them. No matter how much I trusted our pirate crew, none of them were going to get a hold of them.

Luffy would break them. Nami would sell them. Usopp would behead himself. Sanji would use them as kitchen knives. Chopper would transform them into scalpals. Robin would only put them on display and probably look up their history. Franky would melt them down to refurbish his ridiculously huge body. Brook would probably be the best option, being a swordsman himself, but the old skeleton didn't need three spare katana.

His own decendants would be the only way. But there were steps to that process. Steps I was most definitely _not _willing to take at present time.

The first thing I would need is a woman. A female. Of the opposite gender.

I had never really cared about women; at least, not like ero-cook. Yeah, some were hot, some were ugly, some were revolting (coughNAMIcough) and others were just… there. I'm not denying masculine hormones, but I'm not obsessing over them. I am twenty one goddamn years old. Most men would be settling down about now, or trying to. Nope, not me.

But here I am thinking about it! Shit, my vision is going fuzzy. I have to stop thinking about this.

Step two. The 's' word.

SHIT! STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!

_Nope, _my brain said. _Keep on thinking about the tiny excruciating details. The entire process. _

"Zoro?"

I looked up, blinking away the scarlet that had suddenly clouded my vision. Robin stood about a foot away, her head cocked curiously to the side. "What?" I said distractedly.

"You were convulsing," she said curiously. "And your face is red as a cherry. Are you alright? Should I fetch Chopper?"

I shook my head and swallowed hard, taking careful precautions to not look directly at her; otherwise my eyes would roam. I focused on the door to the kitchen. "No, I'm fine. I guess it's just the sun."

Robin seemed to understand I didn't want to talk about it; a lie like that was as bad as Usopp. I was sitting in the shade, out of the sun's reach. She flashed me a smile.

"If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

She walked away, disappearing to the front deck.

"Do I need anything?" I asked myself quietly, holding my hands over my face to prevent further questions from other crewmates. "I need a woman."

**I don't like the ending, but that's that. Anyway, please review. :D**


	4. Theme 70 - 67

**Happy Birthday, Zoro! As a treat, here's an addition to my 100 Theme Challenge! :D I didn't review this myself before posting, so please forgive typos and grammar mistakes.**

**A request response by NinjaShiek for "more ZoRobin please :)"**

Theme: 70 – 67%  
Summary: Zoro gets a surprise for his birthday.

Zoro had honestly forgotten what day it was. He didn't keep track of the dates, because it just reminded him that every passing day meant one more day that he had to wait to achieve his dream. So when he woke up to find the men's dorm completely empty, the swordsman was confused. Normally he was one of the last ones up.

He yawned widely and swung his legs out of bed, shivering as his bare feet touched the cold floorboards. Stretching his arms over his head, he stood and strode to the door, pushing it open into the sunlight. He adjusted his green yukata as he looked out at the ship.

The deck of the Thousand Sunny was completely empty. Not even Luffy was fooling around on the swing set, Usopp wasn't inventing more stupid contraptions. The women weren't drinking their morning coffee in their deck chairs, and the cook wasn't fauning over them either.

Zoro squinted his last good eye and spotted the bright red that was Franky's shoulder sticking out from behind the door to the kitchen. At least someone hadn't disappeared, so he blinked the sleep from his eyes and made his way to the door. The light was off, and the shipwright's shoulder had disappeared behind the glass.

"Damn bastards," Zoro muttered, trying the knob. The door swung open and the light clicked on.

"SURPRISE!"

Zoro jumped, reaching instinctively for his katana, which he realized with dread had been left in the dorm. He raised a hand over his eye to shield himself from the stringy substance that had suddenly wrapped around him. A noise like firecrackers shattered the air, and he backed up a step.

"I think it was a bit too much, Franky."

"Don't be stupid; he loves it."

"Yes, being covered in confetti makes him look very lovable."

"You're lovable, Robin-chwan~!"

"AH! He's going blind from over-exposure! We need a doctor! Oh, wait, that's me!"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZORO!"

Zoro shook his head, and small colorful squares of paper fluttered from his hair, and he blinked silly string from his lashes. The crew were gathered in the center of the kitchen, each bearing a spray can and a small catapult loaded with confetti. "What the hell…?"

"Don't you know what day it is?" Luffy asked, launching another battery of sticky green putty. Zoro dodged the onslaught easily. "It's your birthday!"

"Is it?"

"You moron," Nami muttered from the other side of the room. She pointed to a calendar hanging on the wall, and true to Luffy's word, it was November eleventh. His birthday.

"I told you he wouldn't care," Usopp muttered, lowering his catapult. "And I went through all that trouble of inventing these confetti-launchers for nothing."

"We can use them for something else, too," Luffy pointed out, aiming the next volley at the sharpshooter.

"Not in the kitchen, shitty rubberman," Sanji interrupted, placing his boot against the side of the captain's head threateningly. "Take it outside while I force myself not to poison marimo's birthday breakfast."

Luffy was not one to turn down food, so he set aside his new toy and eagerly bounced in his seat as Sanji served breakfast. It was a hodgepodge of pancakes, waffles, sizzling bacon, smooth syrup and blueberries. To any normal birthday boy, it was heaven. To Zoro, it was just another breakfast.

To prove his point, the meal continued as usual. Each crewmember guarded their food against Luffy's prying fingers, constant jibes at other's eating habits, etc. The only addition was that booze was served instead of orange juice, which Zoro was most certainly not complaining about. And even though the shitty ero-cook had prepared the meal, the swordsman had to admit it was better than usual.

The group proceeded after breakfast to converge out on the main deck and play 'party games'. This consisted of 'musical chairs' hosted by Brook, 'hide and seek' by Chopper, and 'shoot-stuff-with-confetti-rockets' by Luffy and Usopp. Zoro sat off to the side, enjoying the ship's entire stock of alcohol. Nami and Robin simply stood to the side, giggling at the captain's and Chopper's "chopsticks-in-nose" dance.

"OW!" Franky yelled, striking a pose. "It's time for the cake!"

"CAKE!" Luffy cried delightedly.

"Shut up," Nami muttered.

"Don't you usually have the cake after dinner?" Sanji queried.

"Nope!" Luffy demanded. "We eat cake when I say so, cause I'm the captain! So I want cake now!"

"Isn't that for the birthday boy to decide?" Brook interjected.

"Don't call me 'birthday boy,'" Zoro muttered. "It sounds stupid."

"Would you prefer 'shitty birthday boy?'" Sanji growled. "We go through all this trouble to make your special day worthwhile, and you just pass it off."

"Because maybe I don't _want_ any of this," Zoro retorted, standing from his spot on the stairs and making his way over to the cook. "It's just a normal day and I don't see why people are making such a huge fuss about it."

"Well, you could at least put some effort into it."

"Twenty percent."

"Eighty."

"Forty."

"Sixty seven."

Zoro curled his lip in disgust. "Sixty-seven percent. Then I say get out the damn cake."

"YAY!" Luffy punched the air. "Sanji! Cake!"

Sanji eyed the green-haired man as he went back inside the kitchen to fetch the traditional birthday cake. He emerged a moment later with a two-layer cake, covered in green icing and outlined with white whipped cream. _Happy Birthday Zoro_ was scrawled on the top with lime green icing, and a crude katana made from sugar was stuck on the top like a flag.

"Shall I lead the accompaniment in a round of singing?" Brook asked, raising his violin.

"Don't you dare…" Zoro began, but the crew had already burst into song.

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to Zo-ro… Happy Birthday to you!"

Zoro grimaced. "Thanks."

"PRESENTS!" was the next order as Sanji finished slicing the cake.

"It's just past lunch and you're already hammering for that? It's not even your birthday, asshole." Nami jabbed her fork at the energetic captain.

"So?"

"_So,_ Zoro decides when we do that."

"Later," was the swordsman's response to Luffy's puppy-dog look at him. "I just want to train a little and take a nap."

"What kind of party is that?"

"Party without me for now, but I want to train."

"Party-pooper," Luffy muttered, and sauntered off with Usopp and Chopper to continue playing with the confetti.

Zoro rolled his eyes and sat with his bag to the rail of the ship, closing his eyes. He heard Sanji clearing up the plates as the other crewmembers went about their other activities. He didn't mean to sound so forceful, but he just really didn't care about birthdays. It was just another day to him, even if it did signify his becoming one year older.

He must have fallen asleep, because when he opened his eyes again, it was growing dark, and Chopper was prodding him to wake up for dinner. With a large yawn, he stood and accompanied the doctor into the kitchen, where Sanji had prepared steak and booze.

The meal turned into a full-fledged party complete with basket-dancing and singing _Bink's Sake_ courtesy of Brook. Before long, most of the Straw Hat crew was drunk and stumbling back to the bedrooms to sleep away their intoxication. Zoro had somehow managed to remain mostly sober, enough to stay up for watch as the sun set and the Sunny moored to the latest uninhabited island for the night. He climbed into the crow's nest to at least do a few bicep exercises as he waited.

A knock sound on the door, and he looked over as it opened to reveal Robin. "Mind if I join you?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Can if you want."

She took the invitation and entered the circular room, sitting close to him on the sofa. A little too close for his comfort but he didn't complain, continuing his usual goings on. She pulled out a book and began reading, turning a page every so often to coincide with a clank of his dumbbells.

It was coming close to midnight when he finally relaxed and leaned against the back of the seats, letting cool night air seep in through open windows. Robin looked over at him, closing her book.

"Are you okay, Zoro?"

"Hm? Oh, fine."

"You don't seem fine."

"I just don't understand why people make such a big deal about birthdays."

"Maybe it's because it celebrates another year that you've lived to the fullest and the start of another one waiting for adventure." Robin said philosophically.

"Bah. Everyday is an adventure; I don't need a year to tell me when it has to restart a cycle."

"But you don't enjoy it?"

"I enjoy every day; you never know when it'll be your last."

The archaeologist smiled mischievously. "So you put one hundred percent and not sixty seven percent like you did today?"

Zoro winced. "Yeah."

They sat in silence for another minute before Robin spoke again. "I didn't give you your birthday gift yet."

"You don't have to give me anything."

"Maybe I don't _have_ to, but I _ought_ to."

Zoro turned to tell her off when he suddenly found her face an inch away from his. "Oi, Robin, what are you…?"

"Just promise to enjoy it at least sixty seven percent positive, " she whispered, and leaned closer, pressing her lips to the corner of his mouth.

He tried to lean away further, but there was only so much room to move around. In any case, Robin was moving too fast for him to do much. From the corner she moved to full on lip-lock, keeping her tongue in her mouth respectfully but also not letting up either.

Zoro didn't know exactly what to make of it; her lips tasted like blackberries, a very sweet texture. She was warm, and soft, and passionate, and Zoro suddenly found himself returning the kiss, just a little bit. He didn't fight it anymore, but accepted it, and even went so far as to slide his arm around her waist, her long hair tickling his bare skin.

She pulled away first, smiling widely. "I would say that was eighty percent," she laughed, standing up and moving back to the door. "Happy Birthday, Zoro," she added before descending back to the main deck.

Zoro stayed up the rest of the night, denying Usopp's shift change request. He kept his hand against his mouth and his eyes on the stars, and the only thing that continuously ran through his head was that it was definitely more than eighty percent enjoyment rate.

**I hope that was enough ZoRobin for now, NinjaShiek! :D Please review and keep those requests coming!**


	5. Theme 86: Seeing Red

**Implied one-sided Perona/Zoro. I just think she has a thing for him, and he's just like WTF. Pretend it's an ignorant version of Hancock/Luffy. XD**

**Anyway, this came to me while rewatching the Return to Shabaody Arc. So here ya go.**

**Please review!**

Theme 86 – Seeing Red  
Summary – The story of how Zoro got the scar over his eye.

"You said you defeated the baboons, right?"

Zoro didn't say anything, not bothering to around the worn hilt in his mouth. He could feel the slightly foul taste of dried sweat burned into the pads as his tongue tested the leather, his jaw muscles working in a familiar rhythm to find just the right groove in his teeth for the sword to fit comfortably.

"The baboons who have learned various sword techniques by mimicking humans," Mihawk continued, and both swordsmen looked through the dense mist to the forest, through which were emerging an entire congress of humandrills, each with wooden armor and various swords, axes, and maces slung across their backs or twirled in their long fingers. Zoro's eyes narrowed. "Of course there are ranks among them, and a master."

The ghost girl floated next to him, encompassed by two of her annoying Negative Ghosts, all three of them watching the approaching animals with wide eyes and gaping mouths. Zoro ignored her.

"You could call him the Baboon King; he rules over all the baboons on the island."

As Mihawk spoke, the Humandrills parted to form a path between them, and striding like a king came forward a massive monkey probably the size of the Going Merry, his entire torso covered with a protective layer of tempered leather and muscle. The creature's face was covered with scars, layered over beady red eyes glowing with hatred and lust for power. Two massive tusks jutted from his lower jaw, sharpened to deadly accuracy. Strapped to its back was a thick white-bladed sword, almost twice the length of the wielder itself, with a jewel-encrusted hilt and a leather-covered grip.

"That sword!" Zoro marveled, casting a quick glance at his new sensei's own infamous black blade.

"He's mimicking me and attempting to improve his swordplay," said Hawk-Eyes, his tone amused. "He's on an entirely different level from the baboons you've faced so far."

Zoro's jaw clenched. "Sounds good." He walked forward, descending the steps leading into Mihawk's castle to meet his new opponent. He could hear Perona protesting behind him, demanding that he sleep, but he tuned her out with his own thoughts. _I'll keep on getting stronger,_ he vowed to himself, and prepared for the attacking gorilla. The King drew his white blade and raced forward to intercept the Straw Hat first mate, and he rose up to meet him, both males clashing together with a flash of sparks. Zoro couldn't help but smile as he dodged another attack. _I'll see you in two years, Luffy!_

.o0o.

Zoro closed his eyes in concentration, tensing his back muscles against the thick ropes strapped against his shoulders and bare chest, his skin glistening with sweat and water. At the opposite end of the tether was a boulder doubling the size of the Sunny and probably weighing three times as much. He had told himself he would be able to move it by the end of his first year of training, and the anniversary of his initial vow to get stronger was only a month away. And still he was nowhere near physically strong enough to move the massive rock.

He tried again for another hour with still no progress, so he decided to put up this particular exercise for the day and work on his newest technique he was developing and try combining it with his limited knowledge of Haki.

Mihawk had given him the basics of Haki after the first month, and he had begun associating the power with his predetermined ability to sense the breath of all things, gained during his battle with Mr. 1 back in Alubarna, which Mihawk had explained as an extension of Haki. Even combining the two mental powers, he still could not appear to even trigger what Hawk Eye had called _Haoshoku Haki_, or the King's Haki. After a few weeks of intense training, the World's Greatest Swordsman had determined, much to Zoro's disappointment, he did not possess this ability, and only the Color of Arms and Observation, which the pirate figured was a bit of a let down but power was power, and he needed as much of it as possible if he were to be able to defeat the King Humandrill.

Zoro unstrapped himself from the mechanism and swiped up a towel from a rock and rubbed it over his body, vaguely aware of prying eyes lurking from a window in a room high in the castle, and he smirked. The ghost girl was watching him again. The little _Kenbunshoku _Haki he had so far mastered was enough to sense her presence from a mile away, what with her unique aura being only one of the two relatively human ones present on the island besides himself and the baboons.

Zoro had caught Perona eyeing him a lot during his training, sizing herself down to a tiny ant where she thought he wasn't looking. Sometimes she would be outside in her physical body with a needle and threat, attempting at her sixth Bearsie plushie, and would glance at him from the corner of her eye as he began to develop his new and improved Tatsu Maki, his idea to make it bigger, longer, and deadlier. He didn't care if she watched, but it reminded him of Nico Robin watching him sometimes as he weight-trained, and the thought made him a bit sad.

He collected the towel around his shoulders and fetched his katana lying in a neat pile off to the side. Zoro knelt and scooped them up, unsheathing the Wado Ichimonji first and running a hand lovingly over its pristine blade before sliding the hilt between his teeth and taking his other two swords in hand. He navigated to a clear spot and concentrated, letting his mind expand until it exceeded the boundaries of human interpretation, just as Mihawk had taught him. He let the energy build up inside him, straining at every pore in his body to be released. His eyes flying open, he released a yell of _Tatsu Maki,_ spinning his blades in the appropriate positions.

A massive current of air sharper than a knife exploded into the air, winding into the sky like a deadly tornado, sparks flying and wind whipping in a circle around him at the epicenter of the attack. This was nearly double the size of the original pre-Shabaody, and he was satisfied with it, but there was still so much he could do!

A growl sounded behind him, and the attack dispersed as he whipped around to see the Baboon King behind him, sword drawn and eyes glowing red. Zoro stumbled back a step, surprise evident in his face. The weekly duel with the Baboon King wasn't until a few days, and Zoro was not prepared for the sneak attack. It only proved he had more to learn about Haki.

The baboon took a swipe at him, and Zoro barely blocked, his arms straining to ward off his giant opponent. His muscles screamed under the pressure, still not quite recovered from his strenuous boulder-moving exercise. He glared at the huge baboon, eyes burning. He desperately opened his mind and tried to predict the creature's next move.

The Humandrill King broke off the connection and leaped back a step, twirling in a circle with the blade held out, a giant whirlwind of deadly blade. Zoro didn't have time to dodge before he was met with an interpretation of a move he had tried to perfect a few weeks ago and given up on for lack of mastering the complex footwork. He must have been observing. Damn monkey. Steel clashed against steel, sparks flying with an ear-shattering hiss. Zoro grit his teeth and pushed off the baboon, lashing out with an attack of his own.

"Sanbyaku Rokujuu Pondo Hou!"

A huge tunnel of raging winds sharpened to a deadly point exploded from Zoro's three katana, aimed directly for the baboon, who seemed taken aback by the sudden new attack, and leapt into the air to dodge it. The winds raged into the forest, felling ten dozen trees. Zoro grimaced. This new technique had yet to be perfected.

A strange cry drew his attention above, where the Humandrill was still airborne, but coming down fast, his sword already in a downward thrust. Zoro raised his swords to block, but too late did he realize his there was a hole in his defenses on the left size, and he struggled to corrected it, but not before the white blade was stained red.

Zoro's vision exploded into a rainbow of different shades of red, pain screaming down the left side of his face and forcing a cry of pain from his lips. He dropped his sword and instinctively clapped a hand to his face, feeling the wet liquid trickle around his fingers. He stumbled back, tripping over something and falling hard on his back, sending another wave of pain through his body. His eye throbbed, and his head pounded, what little vision he had fuzzy and disoriented.

A baboon howled with triumph, and Zoro could hear him running forward, his feet slapping the earth, the hard breathing, raspy war cry. Zoro knew that the baboon intended to actually kill him this time, and the swordsman scrambled to find his lost katana, hand scrambling frantically across the dirt.

The baboon suddenly stopped, sword raised above his head, head cocked a bit to the side as if contemplating something. Zoro couldn't make it out with his vision tinted red, but he was vaguely aware of a tiny little ghost poking its head from the shoulder of the monkey, smiling and waving at him. A moment, and the humandrill vanished, down on knees and paws, whimpering something in his monkey language like he was suddenly depressed.

A particularly hard throb pounded in his brain, and Zoro finally gave in and passed out.

.o0o.

Zoro's vision slowly came into focus, the ceiling of his bedroom slowly materializing above him. He blinked, and his muddled brain began to slowly come to terms with the fact that it was observing only half of what it should be. He let out a quiet groan and sat up slowly, holding a hand to his head to steady the spinning.

He was, as he had thought, lying in his bed, small patches of the sheets stained brown with dried blood. His katana were propped up against the wall, sheathed and seemingly unharmed. A candle burned next to his head, shedding a faint light around the room. Through the window, a dying sun could be seen just through the eerie mist. Sitting in a chair at the foot of his bed was Perona, her arms crossed and head bowed as she snored softly.

Zoro smirked and swung his legs from the bed, the bed creaking in protest. He ignored it and stood, the bottoms of his feet tingling as he hit the cold floor, and walked with shaky steps to the bathroom, where he observed his unappealing appearance.

The left side of his face was wrapped in bandages, not a professional job but worthwhile; it was easily discernable as the ghost princess's handiwork. A small red stain was forming over where his eye would be under the strips, and Zoro had an inkling feeling that it didn't bode well for him. His skin was scuffed up and dirty, and his lip was split but he otherwise was okay.

His face throbbed again.

Zoro shook his head and left the bathroom, sneaking past the slumbering woman so as to not wake her and left the room, starting down the hallway toward where he knew was the parlor. He knew at least that much; the parlor, dining room, and his bedroom were the only rooms that didn't change positions every five minutes, and were easily accessible when he wanted them, and he knew exactly what to find when he arrived.

He pushed open the ornate doors to the comfortable room, and sure enough spotted Hawk Eye Mihawk reclining in his usual red velvet throne with his usual bottle of red wine and his usual book in his lap. The sight often gave Zoro nostalgia, of watching Robin read a book as she sipped coffee.

"I see you're awake," said Hawk Eye, and Zoro said nothing, entering the parlor and pulling up another chair to settle in by a roaring fire in the hearth. His body immediately began to warm up. There was silence between the two for a while longer, before Hawk Eye spoke again. "How do you feel, Roronoa?"

Zoro grunted. "Could be better. Damn monkey."

Hawk Eye gave a low chuckle. "Yes, quite unexpected. Perhaps if you paid more attention to your Haki training rather than your physical strength you would have sensed it coming quicker."

Zoro curled is lip. He immediately knew Mihawk had known about the surprise attack, and had yet done nothing. Perona, on the other hand, had come to his rescue, and he needed to repay her for it ASAP; he hated owing debts. But he knew that even though Mihawk did seem like a harsh man, somewhere in there there was a lesson to be taken from this.

"Don't patronize me," Zoro grumbled.

Hawk Eye glanced at his pupil. "How is your eye?"

The Straw Hat swordsman lifted his hand to caress his face. "I won't ever be able to use it again, will I?"

"No, I don't think so."

Zoro swallowed, a bit anxious about the coming months of developing guard for his new blind spot, but also excited for the challenge it would be. There was new scar to show off his battle experience, a new accomplishment in his journey to taking the head of the very man who sat leisurely a couple feet away. "So be it."

"Perhaps you could take this time as your wound heals to perfect your Haki," Hawk Eye continued, sipping his wine. "So as to avoid future catastrophe."

Zoro slouched in his seat as his eye began to ache. "I suppose."

"Go wash up; we'll dine and rest. Tomorrow we will perfect your Haki and until it is mastered, no intense training. Being a swordsman is not all about the muscle and physical endurance. You need to train your mind as well as your body, and if you one day wish to defeat me, this must be implemented."

"Yes, sensei."

"You are dismissed."

Zoro rose to leave, moving slowly to the door, his brain yet to fully awaken and grasp his inability to see his left side. As he reached the door, Mihawk gave him one final order.

"Don't take off your bandages, either. They will not restrict your movements because you will be meditating and not moving."

Zoro nodded and left, closing the door behind him with a bang. It had only been less than a year, and already the two men knew each other well. As the green haired man started for his room and the shower, he could only imagine the look he would get from his nakama upon his arrival.

_Another scar?_ Nami scoffed. _You take too many risks, moron._

_SO COOL!_ Luffy's eyes sparkled. _How'd you get that?_

_It was obviously the giant monster than lives on the island he was sent to,_ Usopp explained mysteriously.

Please _tell me you at least applied antiseptic,_ Chopper sighed.

Zoro let out a huge yawn, throwing his hands above his head. A shower, a nap, food, and a good night's rest were on his schedule, and it sound like a good plan to him. He found himself fingering his eye again as he walked, and he unconsciously revealed a light smile. A new scar, a new challenge.

A new year.

**Don't like the ending, but I just wanted to finish it. So, how was it? Credible? Incredible? :D Please read and review, and I'll see you next time!**


	6. Theme 31: Flowers

**I've been contemplating this one-shot for a long time, but never really found the time to write it until now. Those waiting for the next chapter of SoL, I'm working on it, I promise. Hopefully it will be done soon. :D**

**And I've noticed that most of the one-shots in this Challenge are mostly Zoro/Robin based, so I'm switching the Challenge to them. I think it will be very fun, don't you? I can still take requests for other pairings, though. So please read, review, and enjoy.**

Theme 31 – Flowers

Zoro wasn't one for planning ahead. He was the type of guy who just kind of did his own thing and thought about the consequences later, if he was still alive. He didn't have time to sit down and seriously consider what might occur if this happened or that happened. It was always "cross that bridge when you get there" with the swordsman.

And as the mystical island of Raftel finally came into view through the mist and torrents of wind and rain, through the shouts of his nakama trying to secure deck equipment and fight off the mass of giant creatures attacking them, Zoro found himself suddenly thinking, which wasn't the best of things to do while trying avoid being eaten.

What would he do after Luffy finally achieved his dream? Out of the Straw Hats, only he had so far achieved his dream. Mihawk had passed down his title to Zoro with a dying breath, and now he was Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, Greatest Swordsman in the World. It was something he had striven for over the course of about twelve years, training his body to the limit, nearly dying countless times. He lived and breathed his dream, his goal, and now that he had what he wanted, he didn't know what to do.

Zoro was stumped as the sea king looming over him was suddenly decapitated with the slightest movement of his Wado Ichimonji. The head crashed into the swelling ocean, dousing him once again in itchy salt water.

"Zoro!" Nami's angry voice reached his ears over the wind. "Try not to get me wet while I'm trying to concentrate!"

Zoro grumbled under his breath, disregarding her girlish complaints. The Wado glinted in the pelting rain, deflecting something coming at him. The creature screamed as a tentacle suddenly found itself disconnected from its body. Zoro's eyes found the steel blade, still as strong as it had been the day it had first rested in his young hands.

Everything around him vanished as an image of Kuina suddenly appeared next to his reflection in the blade, smiling at him lightly. He couldn't help but smile a bit as well as his childhood rival congratulated him from the after life. At that moment, his heart urged him to return home to his village, to see his old sensei, and light incense for his daughter.

"We broke through!" Luffy's excited yell jerked him from his reverie, and he sheathed the katana with a snap. "Let's get that One Piece!"

"Yeah!"

.o0o.

"Would you like some company, Zoro-san?"

He turned as he stepped on the gangplank, Shimotsuki Village in sight. The soft orbs of Robin stared back at him, her head tilted to the side curiously. She had dressed casually today, in a lavender tank top and deep purple capri, sandals encasing her dainty feet. She had pulled her long hair into a high ponytail, just the way he liked it. That way he could see her entire face.

"As long as you don't slow me down," he agreed.

She smiled and joined him, walking down toward the port. Someone, more than likely Usopp, wolf-whistled, and Zoro whipped around, glaring at his crewmembers on deck while Robin chuckled softly into her hand. Nami shooed him away, obviously thinking of this as a date. Luffy waved happily from his perch on the lion figurehead, respectfully restraining himself from barging in. He knew how important this was to his first mate. Sanji was grumbling to himself as he watched the archaeologist saunter away. Franky was still below deck making repairs after leaving the Grand Line. Chopper and Usopp looked downright terrified under his piercing glare, while Brook sipped tea casually in the background. It was his turn next.

"Are we going or not?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm going."

The village was so much different than he remembered it. The houses had all been remodeled, that wasn't surprising, seeing as how they were already pretty tattered when he left. The people in the street had shied away from the harbor when the Straw Hat flag appeared on the horizon, the flag of the Pirate King. But they all slowly returned to their day-to-day business as they realized that they weren't attacking. Some of the adults recognized him from his dojo days, though he hadn't bothered to remember any of their names.

Robin seemed intrigued walking through the town of the swordsman's childhood. "Do you remember most of this, Zoro?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I never came down here, I was too busy training."

She smiled at some children playing ball in an alley. They waved tentatively back. "It seems like a very charming place."

Zoro glanced at her from the corner of his eye. The graceful way her eyes crinkled when she smiled warmly like that never ceased to amaze him. "Yeah. It is."

They walked for a few more minutes through the main market before something caught Robin's eye. She stopped, and the swordsman ceased movement as well, raising an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"Give me a few moments," she said, and disappeared in the crowd. Zoro rolled his eyes, not believing the unbearable urges of women. Can't she wait to buy whatever she wanted to after they had completed their business here? He occupied himself by fingering the hilt of his katana, staring up at cherry blossoms in a tree standing behind a bakery.

As he was waiting, he saw a small shop selling incense. Using the few belis he had left as spending money from the last island, he purchased a small packet to light for Kuina. The vender, after seeing his face, hurriedly lowered the price, but Zoro refused and paid in full. Mostly because he didn't want Nami to rub off on him, but also because he felt the incense would decrease in value, and Kuina didn't deserve that.

True to her word, Robin soon returned with a slender bag in her arms. She smiled, and chided him when he tried to see what it was. She continued walking, making sure the opening was constantly out of his line of vision. He cursed under his breath and ran to catch up with her.

He found himself walking by instinct now, his legs remembering the path he took every day for nine years in his youth. The terrain grew familiar, the gravel path lined by shrubbery, the trees surrounding the expanse of the training grounds. He and Robin walked along the wall bordering the property of the main training hall. Robin respectfully remained silent and allowed Zoro his time to reminisce and drown in nostalgia.

Zoro and Robin finally approached the gate to the Isshin Dojo of Shimotsuki Village. Students were milling around inside, beating poles with bamboo swords or eating lunch. It reminded him so much of the days he spent here with his few friends, eating lunch and then wasting no time to resume training. The kids watched him as he passed, whispering among themselves.

"_Is that him?"_

"_Yeah, it's Roronoa Zoro! The greatest swordsman in the world!"_

"_Why is he here?"_

"_I heard he trained here when he was a kid."_

"_WHAT!? No way! I want to be just like him!"_

Robin chuckled. "It seems you're popular with the pupils."

Zoro curled his lip. "I never asked to be."

"You don't have to ask," she stated. "They look up to you because you're a legend. You're their goal now."

Zoro stared ahead. It sounded too much like how he saw Kuina.

They walked up the front steps, knocking on the sliding door. Zoro's palms suddenly began sweating profusely. He hadn't really thought this plan through either. What if the old man was dead? Would he be buried with his daughter? Or maybe he was on his deathbed as they stood calmly outside? Maybe he shouldn't have come. His heart was beating painfully in his chest, and he resisted the urge to turn and run.

A shadow appeared behind the screen, and a moment later the door was opened. Zoro was met with the face of his old tutor. Koshiro looked old and weary, his hair graying and his face far more wrinkled than he remembered. But the old swordsman still had his long hair tied back into his usual ponytail, dressed in a grey robe with a light blue coat resting around his shoulders. The hilts of two katana poked through the folds of the coat. Circular frame glasses were still perched on the bridge of his nose.

His eyes widened as he beheld his old pupil, covering in more scars than when he had last seen him. Even his updated Wanted poster of six hundred million didn't fully reflect the complete state of the World's Greatest Swordsman. "Zoro?" Koshiro said, stepping fully out of the dojo building to meet his student.

"I'm just here to visit," Zoro said roughly, but smiled at his teacher. "And tell her I won."

Robin looked a bit confused as to what her nakama was talking about, but the old sensei recognized it immediately. "Please come in," the man said, stepping back. "You and your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Zoro protested angrily as Robin laughed behind him.

"Oh, sorry. Wife."

"She's not that, either," Zoro grumbled, entering the dojo.

"I'm Nico Robin," he heard Robin introduce herself to his sensei. "I'm a Straw Hat pirate with Zoro."

"I know who you are," Koshiro smiled brightly, closing the door behind them and ushering them into the main hall of the dojo. "There's not many people who don't. I apologize if I embarrassed you, I just assumed…"

"It's a common mistake," Robin laughed.

Zoro had preoccupied himself by sitting in the spot he had claimed his own when he entered the dojo, settling on his knees with his hands resting in his lap, a perfect view of the room and the fight that would happen on the mat. It was where he analyzed the movements of the adult swordsmen, memorizing their techniques for him to adapt on his own.

"What has become of you while you were away?" Koshiro asked, sitting in the head sensei's seat while Robin remained standing. "I've only known what is in the newspaper."

Zoro looked toward the older man. He gave him a quick rundown of his adventures, both of before and after becoming a Straw Hat pirate. Koshiro seemed particularly interested in Zoro's first encounter with Mihawk, and again later during his training under the now deceased master swordsman. He smiled when he heard the story of Kaku of CP9's defeat, commenting that the newspaper article wasn't half as entertaining than hearing it straight from the horse's mouth. Zoro of course left out his sacrifice at Thriller Bark; as far as he knew, only Sanji had the faintest details of the event. The story took well into the afternoon, and by the time Zoro finished, his voice was hoarse.

He gratefully accepted the water Robin offered him as Koshiro spoke again. "That seems like quite an adventure you've had, Zoro," he said quietly. "I think I know another person who would also like to hear it."

Zoro smiled a smile Robin had never seen on his face before. "Yeah. I think she does." He stood and began walking toward the door. Right before he left, the old swordsman stopped him.

"Will you return to this dojo?" Koshiro quizzed.

Zoro turned. "No. I don't think so. Not in your lifetime, old man."

Koshiro smiled. "Kuina will miss you."

Zoro's face darkened a little. "I know. See ya, sensei."

Koshiro smiled as the image of the ten-year-old boy outside his dojo appeared in his mind. Robin followed her companion as they left the old house, continuing past the training students and out the gate, down the path toward where the white headstones of the graveyard could be seen through the trees.

"You won't return?" Robin asked as they walked.

Zoro shook his head. "I don't have a reason to."

"Won't your friend Kuina miss you?"

Zoro stopped. "You want to meet her."

Robin nodded a bit guiltily. "Yes."

"She's this way."

Zoro led the raven-haired archaeologist through the trees and down another cobblestone path to the entrance of the cemetery. Realization and peacefulness settled on Robin's elegant countenance as she looked across the headstones. Zoro let himself in and strolled through the numerous graves. It had increased in size since he had seen it many years ago, and he had trouble locating the landmark.

With a smile, he finally spotted the tall oak tree under which Kuina rested. He approached slowly, breathing deeply. Koshiro had not let his daughter's marker grow weathered. It looked almost brand new, the marble shining in the late afternoon sun. It was heart-wrenching to see it, nearly as fresh as the day it was stuck into the ground. He knelt before her grave and began to speak.

Robin looked away, leaving Zoro and Kuina to themselves. She did pick up a few of his words, mostly along the lines of, "I won our bet," and "I'll keep the Wado Ichimonji and continue our journey together." She had never seen this side of Zoro before, and it was one she was positive she might never see again.

He could feel her eyes on his back as he pulled the incense from the folds of his haramaki and lit it, placing it at the base of the headstone. He watched the smoke curl into the air until he was satisfied, standing up with a grunt. He refused to shed even the breath of a tear as he turned away. He was halfway through the cemetery until he realized Robin wasn't with him.

"Damn woman," he growled, striding back to where Robin was kneeling in front of Kuina's grave. "Hey, Robin! What're you…?"

He stopped short as he found the single rose placed next to his incense. Robin had knelt and bent her head in her own silent thoughts, obviously paying homage to his deceased rival. Zoro blinked, a bit disturbed. That was what she had bought in the market. Did she already know about Kuina's fate before they even arrive? And why would she care, anyway? Kuina didn't mean anything to her. Or maybe she had gone ahead and visited and sent one of her duplicates with him to buy the flower. This woman was too damn mysterious.

When she was done, Robin stood and smiled at the green-haired swordsman, who had crossed his arms impatiently. "Are you ready to leave?"

Zoro looked one more time at the headstone, knowing he would never see it again. "Yeah. Let's go."

**So what did you think? Tell me in the review box and await the next installment! I already have it planned out. Expect a few songfics soon!**


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